Photo by “In My Imagination”
For all my ROWing friends, I’ve placed a blog hop at the end of this post to make it easy for you to find and encourage a fellow ROWer.
Row80, 2012 First Quarter, Week 2
Living life in the middle of my goals produces patience and perseverance.
This week we have a charming young lady staying with us while she auditions for the San Antonio symphony. She flew in on Saturday and will leave on Wednesday. I could see this as distraction from my writing and teaching goals and it is a temptation to think this way and a challenge to avoid these thoughts, so I keep reminding myself that the reason I write, the reason I teach, is for the good it offers PEOPLE. If I ignore people in the process the paradox is stifling.
What about you? How do you handle interruptions to your writing goals? Please leave me a comment. I have so much to learn.
This is my Row80 Week 2 Plan
Family Time
(House guest until Wednesday)
* Evenings, Saturdays and Sundays
Learn the Tenor Banjo
* 1 lesson per month, practice 30 minutes/evenings
Writing Education
* Read 30 minutes in writing craft book, Write Away , before 8:30
* Read The Hobbit, 30 minutes before bed.
Fiction Writing – (On Saturday, choose tasks from my planning sheet)
Before 8:30 A.M., M-F
* time line
* Begin making Characters more specific
Teach School – 8:30-1, M-F
Math – 4 lessons x 1 boy
Grammar – 4 lessons x 2 boys
Writing – 1 assignment x 2 boys
Latin – x 1 boy
Tapestry Week ___
Science – 4 days x 2 boys
Literature Club meeting, M-6-10
Read Literature Club classical book, The Iliad before January 30 (audio in the car, evenings after supper, ….)
Non-Fiction, (On Saturday, choose from this list)
1:30-4, M, T, W, F; Th-12-2
Check FOF for articles I can write
Check family’s FB posts and comment, 10 minutes
Read 3 blogs per day (30-minute timer).
Post: Week 2, Literature, Oedipus Discussion
Week 3, Literature, Oedipus Projects
Week 4, by Jim
Week 5, ?
Posting Plan for February
Week 1, KIP First Thursday – Series for 2012, “Women of God: Harlots, Tricksters, Judges & Queens” Topic:
Week 2,
Week 3,
Week 4,
Interested in Row80?
Signing up is easy. Click here-Row80.
Ali! I’m on the audition committee for the SAS flute audition! I hope your guest does well, but having survived a few of them in my 30+ years as a pro musician, I know how hard it is. It’s like nanowrimo – just having completed the 50k words means you’re a winner, whether or not the story is ever published.
I would love to meet you and talk writing (and learning the banjo!). I just met another writer tweep yesterday who lives north of SA… we talked for 2 1/2 hours at a Starbucks.
I love your Week 2 plan – it appeals to the geek in me. Perhaps I could be more organized, as well. And the 30 min timer for reading blogs – that’s one hint that I need to use for twitter!
You’re kidding! You’re in San Antonio. Let’s get together at Starbucks soon. What instrument do you play?
For 2 days, I’ve enjoyed the most beautiful flute music in my house. She’s practiced hours. She’s almost finished her masters in flute performance from a school in Chicago. Her fiance is Tyler Jackson. He plays the bass violin for Ray Price. Young people with awesome talent and drive.
I’ll be dropping Kristen off at 6:00. Her time is 7-8 tonight.
Let me know when you can get together.
The paradox you mention is best handled, in my opinion, with this: Life first. You are correct in putting people first, sure sometimes we have to be greedy with our moments but what is the writing worth if we never live and experience and help others.
I love that you are reading the Hobbit and the Iliad, two of my favorites. I first read the Hobbit when I was nine and it is still one of my favorites. And one of the main reasons I fell in love with reading, adventure and writing.
All the best for the coming week, Ali.
Wow, you read the Hobbit at 9. Unfortunately I was a slow reader and an uninformed one. I did hear about it until I met my husband. He had read it several times as a young person. When I started a literature club for my daughter who had dyslexia I was forced to begin reading really hard books. We read the classics. Now I can’t imagine life without good stories. It’s neat you had this in your life at such a young age.
Love your detailed list of goals and your positive attitude. As Gene said, life first. It’s too short and people are too important, and if we don’t take that time, we stagnate everything else.
Good luck this week!
Stacy, you’re so sweet to stop by and leave this message and affirmation. Thank you.
I echo the life first message, Ali. What a blessing to be able to open your home and share space with the lady auditioning. I’m sure that is a burden off of her and giving her an edge in being rested and focused for the work she’s putting in. You can balance back in your full goals work as the time frees up. You have a great list and details of what needs to be done. Excellent focus.
Thanks Barbara. Our family enjoys sharing our home with others. Thanks for your kind words.
I have to agree with the rest of your visitors who commented – friends and family are way too important to ignore. They are the essence of our lives.
I am very impressed with the list of your goals. You are a very busy lady. Good luck this round – I’m cheering for you
Hugs.
Oh Angela, your affirmation means a lot to me. I hope your round goes well too.
Great week Ali and love your detailed list. Having a plan is absolutely key! It’s tough to balance people and life’s demands with your writing priorities. But as Gene and Stacy said, life is too short and people are important. It’s about finding the balance and it’s not something I’ve mastered quite yet. I keep working at it trial and error and I have no doubt you will master it!
Thanks for the encouragement. I’m enjoying my guest and her beautiful flute music and getting a lot of writing accomplished. She’s auditioning tonight so she’s been pretty occupied.
I can only hope that you enjoy your house guest. You are one busy lady Ali. You have a lot of great goals and I like you are looking forward to a new week. I love your blog site and your post is very encouraging. Everyone has been so supportive and you are no exception. Thank you Ali!
I am enjoying her. She is auditioning for the San Antonio symphony and for two days I’ve been privileged to listen to gorgeous flute music.
Thank you Ali for visitng my ROW80 post on monday. Your comment got put into spam. I’m so sorry. But I do appreciate your support!
Oh but we must enjoy our interruptions or else we grow bitter, right?
I think you have the best attitude. He who puts these people in our lives knows better than we.
Have a good week, Ali.
Bridgette, the audio I have is a translation by Fagles. Here is a link for an abridged version: http://mobile.audible.com/productDetail.htm?asin=B002V1CFUO&s=s
Here is a link for an unabridged version: http://mobile.audible.com/productDetail.htm?asin=B002V0PV5Q&s=s
You can hear samples at these links.
Thanks
Meant to ask, what audio book are you using for The Illiad? We read it for Tapestry back in the fall, so I’d like to just get an audio version as a refresher. Would love one that has good narrator.
Bridgette Booth recently posted..Row80 Update 2: How Did Your Week Rate?
Interruptions drive me crazy but most of the time I make sure I get the time I need, distractions or not. The key is being flexible with your schedule. I’ve sent you an email about adding those checkboxes.
It’s important to smile at times when it pushes yourself to the limit. Distractions, stress and sleepless nights will be there but as long as you work hard and smile every time, everything will fall into place.
Julia Robyn recently posted..Rheumatoid arthritis – is Celebrex good for this?
A smile is good for the soul.